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Holland
Lore One of the original Western Settlements to be united under Raul Vevius, Holland was spared the misfortune of its sister fiefs under the Vevius Line's neglect of the countryside. This, spurring from their culture remaining intact, made it a unique village. As time went on, it developed its own languages and societal structures The language, known as Hollish or formally Hollish Dormian, was a guttural sounding language to begin with, using mostly throat noises and longer deeper tone sounds in their words. Though, as time went on, the language reformed to what would be, comparatively, a Spanish-French hybrid. A stop along a branch of the "Golden Road" that connects the kingdoms, Holland was one of many rural holdings among all the kingdoms that prospered. A strong economic force, even felt from the Capital City, Holland is the strongest standing fief in Western Trepheon, and has been receiving due attention. Holland has seen many extra liberties given to it by the Military Council of the Golden Banner given its distance from the Capital, but rumors spread among the Capital and Neighboring fiefs of Hollish Independence - Something The Golden Banner cannot afford. Economy The Hollish economy is one of the largest of surrounding fiefs. Although primarily dealing in lumber and hand-made goods as its exports, it serves as a safe haven for caravans, regardless of affiliation. Many trade caravans tend to stop here to sell their wares or change caravans, often fearing reprisal from The Golden Banner should they head further west. This just so happens to be something that Holland capitalizes heavily on, often taxing caravans seeking refuge. Military While smaller than the Western Army, the Hollish Guard is a force to be reckoned with. Consisting of volunteers surrounding the fief, some would liken the Hollish Guard to a peasant-army. The Hollish guard is responsible for the protection and policing of Holland itself, while the Hollish Rangers are responsible for being local marshals to campsites, lodgings, and other local populations. While lacking the riches found within the Western Capital to arm and armor themselves, The Golden Banner does dispatch soldiers to train the Hollish Guard, and they more than make up for their reduced equipment with raw combat experience.Excellent guerilla fighters, the Hollish Guard makes exceptional use of the surrounding terrain and ambush tactics to divide and conquer the numerous bandit groups who underestimate them. Given Holland's distance from The Golden Banner's capital city, the Hollish Guard also acts as Game Wardens for the surrounding areas, and are often dispatched to cull the numbers of predators stemming from the Western Woods, or Northwestern Mountains. Units set aside from the guard-ship of the town are known popularly as Hollish Rangers. These soldiers are the highest-tier for this barony fief, often being veterans and well trained in tracking and guerrilla warfare. Prior to their existence, guards would be randomly assigned to protect the villages far ranging borders, as it shares land with some of the nomadic camps or buildings located deep in the forest. These guards often were not trained in handling the landscape or issues present in this region, and would be found dead or just not be found. While the reign of Mordecai Unises was not the one to begin the ranger program, he was the rule to fully flesh it out as a force. Instead of simply guards with experience or local hunstman securing the borders, the Rangers task shifted to being marshals for the locals, gaining them popularity, and support. Government & Society Considered an oddity and an outlier within the Golden Banner, Holland's Rule under Statesman Unises has been one marked with moderate behavior. While one of many fiefs "left behind" under the Vevius Line's rule, Holland was spared the worst of fates, and thus doesn't resent The Golden Banner nearly as much as neighboring fiefs. On the other hand however, the economic gap between citizens is not nearly as drastic as in the Capital, and the numerous traders hailing from different lands, sometimes continents, has prevented Holland from adopting the xenophobic and divisive doctrines found further inland. While Councilors and Generals alike acknowledge the value of Holland, the Hollish People often face stigma against them from the Capital City and its Sister Fiefs. The Capital views Holland as a breeding ground for dissent and an insult to tradition, whereas its sisters view it as a lapdog to The Golden Banner in part to the authority afforded by it. Few citizens of Holland have been affected by outside rhetoric, but those that have have been active and vocal. With a factional split between Separatists and Loyalists, many are worried that they may push Unises towards drastic actions vocalized by either fronts. Though, as tensions stagnated, and Holland proceeded to fester in its middle-ground like stature, Unises became infirm. Many acknowledging or fearing that the Western powers would soon take their land. Though, with Wests new king, nothing had changed. Unises died comatose in bed shortly after the coronation, and the electing for a new leader was started. Eventually, a new leader was chosen. A retired soldier named Garvus Decanius whom, unlike Unises, made no secret that he wished for unification with the Banner to be maintained. Although he did not frown upon tourists, and found that the caravans were as profitable as they've ever been, immigration was as restrictive as ever under Decanius' rule. In his point of view, one must truly become immersed with the Hollish way of life before they are ever to call themselves Hollish. There was a raid on Holland in 350 PD at the hands of sellswords paid by a Spatiomancer known as "Lord", which dealt a blow to the town's metal supply. The town eventually recovered from the incident, though such a recovery took more time than one had hoped. Garvus ruled for 10 years before passing away due to natural causes, Dissidence had been at an all-time low. His son, Dante Decanius, has been the reigning Baron of Holland ever since. Justice & Laws https://docs.google.com/document/d/13EwSxYnmTgXJ1cY0uEei7D2rb7ysqm5xHIuwCIxjrwI/edit